RESULT OBTAINED
Canonical method
Stakeholders: mapping power, interest and dependencies
What must be established
A useful analysis keeps its controls visible.
- 01
Define the decision before listing the actors.
- 02
Separate formal power, relational influence and control of a critical resource.
- 03
Document the observed position, its level of evidence and the signal that would require an update.
Decision reference
Make the next choice more explicit.
DECISION SUPPORTED
Which actors can accelerate, block or shift the decision, and through which mechanism?
DELIVERABLE TO KEEP
An actionable map of the actors, relations, dependencies and tipping points around a decision.
NEXT ELEMENT TO EXAMINE
CompetitorsExplore →Start from the decision
A stakeholder is relevant only in relation to a choice, a resource or an authorisation. The same actor can be central to one decision and peripheral to another.
- Decision concerned
- Resource controlled
- Moment of intervention
Describe the mechanism
Power and interest are not enough. It must be specified how the actor can act, what the organisation depends on and which alliances can change its influence.
- Blocking or acceleration
- Direct or indirect dependency
- Relation with the other actors
Review without over-interpreting
The position must be dated and linked to evidence. A statement, a vote, a contract or a change of responsibility can make the map obsolete.
- Source and date
- Confidence level
- Review trigger
DECISION ASSET
Register of influence and dependency
The power-interest matrix is enriched with the mechanism of action, the observed position and the confidence level.
Power
- Input
- Authority or resource
- Control
- How is it exercised?
- Output
- Capacity to act
Interest
- Input
- Expected gain or loss
- Control
- On which decision?
- Output
- Likely intensity
Dependency
- Input
- Contract, access, expertise
- Control
- Is there an alternative?
- Output
- Exposure
Position
- Input
- Act or statement
- Control
- Which evidence and which date?
- Output
- Revisable assumption
- Stakeholder management, BOSA Belgium (opens in a new tab)Institutional presentation of the power-interest matrix.
- Stakeholder mapping guidance, World Bank (opens in a new tab)Documented framework for classifying and engaging stakeholders.
MOVE FROM ANALYSIS TO YOUR DECISION
Produce a testable decision mandate
MOVE FROM ANALYSIS TO YOUR DECISION
Produce a testable decision mandate
RETURN TO THE DECISION SYSTEM
See the canonical definition of marketing strategy→